Rios, White Sox batter Maholm, Braves 10-6

Saturday

Jul 20, 2013 at 10:31 AMJul 20, 2013 at 10:58 AM

CHICAGO — Alex Rios hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, and Jake Peavy pitched six solid innings in his return from the disabled list to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 10-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

CHICAGO — Alex Rios hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, and Jake Peavy pitched six solid innings in his return from the disabled list to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 10-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Rios, who had been in a 2-for-20 slump, went 3-for-5 to help Chicago win for just the 10th time in 32 games.

Peavy (7-4), making his first start since June 4 because of a fracture rib, got off to a shaky start. He allowed a two-run homer to Dan Uggla in the second inning and two more runs in the third. But he shut down the Braves during his final three innings.

He allowed seven hits in six innings, and just two of the four runs charged to him were earned.

Braves starter Paul Maholm (9-9) was forced out in the fourth inning because of a sprained left wrist. He was staked to a 4-0 lead but couldn’t hold it. He allowed seven runs and seven hits in three-plus innings.

The soft-tossing left-hander started struggling with his location after retiring six of the first seven batters he faced.

But the first five batters in the third inning got on, capped by Rios’ grand slam that gave the White Sox a 5-4 lead.

Rios’ 12th homer of the season ended a power drought of 120 at-bats.

It also came a day after the right-fielder was pulled out of a game for not running hard to first base.

During the White Sox 6-4 loss to the Braves on Friday, Rios hit what appeared to be a routine double-play grounder in the fifth inning. Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons bobbled the ball, and Rios likely would have beaten the throw to first, but he didn’t run hard out of the box.

Instead of a run scoring, the White Sox were out of the inning. Chicago manager Robin Ventura removed Rios in the seventh.

On Saturday, the Sox followed their five-run third with a four-run fourth to break the game open.

NOTES: Before the game, Rios acknowledged he was wrong for not hustling, but wished it had been managed differently. “It would have gone through better if he put me in his office and talked to me personally,” he said of Ventura. “If he wants to make a statement for the team, it probably worked.” … Braves RHP Brandon Beachy, recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2012, pitched five innings to get the win in a minor league rehab start on Friday. “He threw the ball really well,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “The report after the game was it’s the best he’s felt in a while.” … Braves LHP Mike Minor (9-4) faces LHP Jose Quintana (4-2) in the series finale on Sunday.

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